The series of stalking that morning had somehow gotten entangled with each other. It started with Axel using his Infernal Energy at the gym last night. It evolved to having two people seemingly interested in him.
Kinsey followed Axel, Ares followed Kinsey, and Nile followed Ares. It had become a full on stalk cycle. At this point, it wouldn't be a surprise if someone was actually following Nile. But that was unlikely...
Back in the library hallway, where all the attention from the students present were now on 5 individuals.
With two out of the five standing out with their verbal exchanges.
"Since you didn't answer me the first time…" Ares said, tapping his temple lightly. "I'll ask again. Were you following me? Don't tell me you have a thing for me."
Nile didn't say anything to that. Ares' grin widened like he already knew the answer himself, but he chose to toy with her.
"You know, it wasn't that hard to figure out. I saw you earlier outside. You kept popping up behind every corner I walked past. Either you were trying really hard to hide… or you really, really like me."
Nile's expression shifted. So he did see her back then, he just chose to ignore her... that even made it worse.
He wasn't wrong though, she was following him, but she wasn't about to let him twist the whole thing into some stupid joke that fed his ego.
"Don't flatter yourself," she said sharply. "I wouldn't waste my time trailing someone like you. You're not even worth a drop of my sweat."
That wiped Ares' grin clean off his face.
For the first time since the whole hallway scene started, he frowned.
"Hey... don't make me sad." He said quietly.
He took a step toward her.
"I do a lot of sadistic things when I'm sad."
Nile stepped forward too and electricity buzzed slightly under her skin.
"That's good because I have a flair for frying people when they piss me off."
"Holy... they're gonna fight!" someone in the crowd gasped.
Rick... Rick of all people jumped at the tension snapping between them.
"H-Hey Ares...maybe just… let her go?" Rick said quickly, waving his hands nervously.
"There's no need to start a fight here, really. Let's just walk away. Please."
Ares waited a while before deciding on what to do.
"Fine, but only because my boy here came to your rescue." He pointed at Rick.
"You're lucky he likes keeping people in one piece."
Nile let out a scoff that sounded more like a threat.
"Rescue?" she repeated. "I don't need anyone rescuing me, especially not from him" She eyed Ares up and down before adding, "And speaking of things that don't make sense, why are you even hanging around with someone as weak and pathetic like him?"
"Axel I can understand, barely but Rick? He's the definition of useless."
Rick went so still he almost looked like he stopped breathing. Before he could say anything, Axel stepped forward.
"Don't talk about him like that."
Everyone went quiet, even Ares raised a brow.
Axel didn't look like he was trying to start a fight. He didn't even look irritated but he wasn't exactly smiling.
---
Nile didn't flinch when Axel stepped forward. If anything, she turned toward him like he was nothing more than an annoying sound she had to deal with.
"Oh?" she said. "And what exactly are you going to do about it?"
She tilted her head, looking him up and down.
"Last time I checked, you were a weak Lumina 3 with nothing to prove. If there's anyone here worth a second of my time, it's definitely not you."
Axel didn't like where this was heading. He wasn't scared, not exactly but the words dug in deeper than he expected. He opened his mouth but Ares cut in before he could say anything.
"Speaking of 'time,'" Ares said, stepping forward with a grin returning to his face, "didn't you ask me for a duel yesterday?"
"Well…" Ares spread his arms. "Pick a time, also pick a date. I'll show up. I'm generous like that. I'll just beat you the way I did last time."
"There will be NO dueling in the library halls!"
A new voice echoed throughout the hallway loudly. The five of them: Ares, Axel, Rick, Nile, and Kinsey turned around at the same time.
A group of four students approached, each wearing the deep red colored bands that marked them as fourth years. Their aura alone was enough to make the crowd pull back, giving them way more than enough room.
Craziest part? Three of them were all Nova levels.
And the one in front, the one speaking was with a white gold band.
He was an Apex level user. Apex 1
Second year onlookers whispered from the edges.
"Oh shit…"
"They got the attention of the Finals…"
"They're royally screwed."
The four fourth years stopped around them, forming a loose circle. It certainly wasn't a friendly one.
The Apex level student stepped closer. "Mind telling me what's going on here?"
Ares raised his hands slowly, showing empty palms. "Relax mate. We were just talking, is all.."
"Did he just call him...mate?!"
Ares's tone wasn't disrespectful. Not exactly, but it wasn't submissive either.
The Apex didn't like that.
He stepped forward, close enough that Ares could feel his breath, and then suddenly, the air around Ares suddenly changed.
It felt heavy.
Not metaphorically but literally. Literally heavy.
Ares' chest tightened, like it was caving in on itself. His legs wobbled as an invisible crushing weight pressed down on him, like someone dropped a truck over his shoulders.
The floor shook when he hit his knees.
Rick yelped and nearly fell backward. Nile stiffened in surprise. Even Kinsey flinched.
The Apex student stared down at Ares.
"You shouldn't think this is some kind of democratic conversation," he said. "I'm your senior. When I speak, you show respect."
Rick started trembling. "Ares...Ares..oh no...oh no this is bad, this is really, really bad—"
Rick was panicking but Axel was quiet. He was just watching.
His mind was running numbers, angles and scenarios.
If an ability is being used on Ares… then he should be able to absorb it... right?
That was Ares' power. Absorption.
So why… wasn't he getting up?
Ares stayed crushed to the floor, hands shaking as he tried to push himself up.
But he couldn't.
The gravity didn't weaken. In fact, it increased, pinning him down harder.
Something's wrong. He should have absorbed it by now.
That's when Axel realized what was actually happening.
Ares wasn't absorbing anything.
He couldn't absorb anything.
This ability was too strong and too heavy...too concentrated.
Ares was in real trouble.
Before anyone could move, three Oval Corp officers suddenly rushed toward them.
"Officers!" Rick blurted, almost sagging in relief. "Please...he needs—"
But the officers didn't even look at Ares.
They went straight for Axel.
The lead officer pointed at him.
"You," he said. "Are you the one who logged into Terminal B-33 a few minutes ago?"
"Yes. Why—"
"Arrest him."
Then the officer pointed at the others.
"And arrest them as well."
"What?!" Rick squealed.
Nile's eyes widened.
Ares, still pinned, could barely turn his head.
Kinsey froze like she couldn't believe what she just heard.
Axel took one step back, confused.
"Wait, what did I do?"
The officers didn't answer.
They just moved in.
And the hallway erupted into chaos.